BBC reports on how users are “baffled” by the complexity of modern smartphones.

The complexity of modern mobile phones is leaving users frustrated and angry, research suggests.

Some 61% of those interviewed in the UK and US said setting up a new handset is as challenging as moving bank accounts.

Of course some would say that today’s Google Generation and Digital Natives will be able to handle such smartphones with ease, therefore we do not need to worry about our learners using such devices.

I am not so sure.

The only mobile devices I have ever been able to set up e-mail on to both receive and send has been the iPod touch. Now I know I am not (according to the authors) part of the Google Generation as I am too old; however I do use a range of other services on my phone such as Qik, Shozu, JoikuSpot to name but three – and so I am quite adept at setting up applications and changing settings. However with e-mail, it has always been a pain!

The S60 operating system for example, is a great OS for installing third party applications,and I have done this on both the Nokia N73 and N95. Though there are included features which I can never get to work. For example, making video calls, hasn’t worked for me, so I just don’t do it. I got annoyed with the (Vodafone supplied) Nokia N73 which came with a Flickr application which never worked, in the main as Vodafone blocked Flickr as part of their Content Control.

Today’s devices are full of stuff we can use to save time, increase the quality and quantity of information we receive, to communicate, to share; however many devices are seriously lacking in terms of usability. This survey indicates that I am not alone in this view.

The last 12 months has seen the launch of iconic devices such as the iPhone 3G, Google G1, Blackberry Storm and Nokia N97.

It also saw the emergence of the electronic ecosystems needed to get the most out of such handsets.

Of course it is not all good news, with the economic downturn, sales of smartphones are expected to fall.

What this will mean is that as our learners arrive and may be looking to purchase a phone, they may consider a device which only makes phone calls and SMS, and will ignore the more advanced web enabled smartphones which have so much potential for supporting learning.

The decline in sales could hinder the development and embedding of mobile learning in the UK educational sector, but possibly with the increase in the sales of (cheap) netbooks, maybe it isn’t all bad news for learning technologies.